NFL Player News

The Buccaneers selected Schrauth in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 160th overall.

Schrauth boasts solid size (6-5, 310 pounds) and athletic ability, and he started 19 games over his last two seasons at Notre Dame. However, he also missed a significant chunk of contests during his college career, so there is some reason to question his ability to stay healthy. Schrauth does a good job staying in front of defenders but can struggle on occasion getting to quicker rushers and linebackers, and his arm length isn't deal for his position, which can cause some issues. Schrauth will slot into a depth role on the Buccaneers' offensive line, perhaps developing into a contributing role.

The Vikings selected Bredeson in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 159th overall.

For a fullback to go in the fifth round these days is to all but set aside a roster spot for him, though Bredeson's lack of athletic testing makes it difficult to assess how notable of a fullback prospect he might be. Either way, the Michigan product has a good chance to make the Minnesota roster following the retirement of longtime standout fullback C.J. Ham.

The Dolphins selected Taaffe in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 158th overall.

Taaffe, out of Texas, started all 26 games over his final two collegiate seasons and generated 148 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, 15 pass breakups and four interceptions. He's an extremely aggressive safety who is comfortable as a run stopper and in coverage. His size is a serious question mark, however, as he measured in at 6-foot, 190 pounds while having some of the smallest arms for a safety in the draft. Taaffe's skills may not be enough to overcome his physical limitations, but there should be a clear path to a role on special teams.

The Colts selected Gumbs in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 156th overall.

Gumbs (6-foot-4, 245 pounds) spent time transitioning between multiple positions early in his career at Northern Illinois, including wide receiver and tight end, before settling in as an edge rusher in 2023 and then transferring to Florida in 2024 and starting one-and-half seasons. As a rookie, the 23-year-old will be a solid candidate to carve out a rotational role in Indianapolis' deep pass rush corps that includes Laiatu Latu, JT Tuimoloau, Micheal Clemons and Arden Key, as well as defensive tackles DeForest Buckner (neck) and Grover Stewart.

The Lions selected Abney in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 157th overall.

Abney mostly served as an outside corner during his three-year college career at Arizona State, and he was named to the All-Big 12 First-Team in 2025 after posting 44 total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and 12 pass defenses (two interceptions) across 12 games. Abney allowed a completion rate of just 44.4 percent when targeted in 2025, a testament to how feisty he can be given his slightly undersized 5-foot-10 frame. He has the athletic instincts and anticipation to thrive both in zone defense and man-to-man and could establish himself as a key piece to the Lions' secondary if he can continue to develop his technique and discipline. Abney figures to enter training camp battling for a depth role at cornerback behind Terrion Arnold (shoulder) and D.J. Reed, with Rock Ya-Sin, Roger McCreary and Christian Izien also in the mix.

The Buccaneers selected Capehart in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 155th overall.

Capehart boasts an ample frame (6-foot-5, 313 pounds) and played 1-technique at Clemson, so there is some potential here for Capehart to develop, but he wasn't a full-time starter in college. The Bucs are taking a lottery ticket on a guy with plenty of potential. However, after racking up 21 tackles and 3.0 sacks as a senior, Capehart will likely require some development.

The 49ers selected Dugger in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 154th overall.

Dugger might need some seasoning after playing two years at Georgetown and two years at Louisiana, with only the 2025 season as starter in his two years with the Ragin' Cajuns. With that said, Dugger is the exact right type of developmental prospect to target in the late rounds, because at 6-foot-5, 242 pounds Dugger has good speed (4.61-second pro day 40) and remarkable reach (35-inch arms) for further development, potentially at either inside or outside linebacker.

The Panthers selected Wheatley in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 151st overall.

Wheatley (6-foot-3, 203 pounds) started the final two seasons of his five years at Penn State, demonstrating the versatility and physicality to make up for his lack of high-end speed (4.62 40-yard dash). As a rookie, Wheatley and 2025 pick Lathan Ransom figure to operate as Carolina's top reserve options at safety behind Tre'von Moehrig and Nick Scott. Wheatley boasts the experience to contribute in a rotational role during his first pro season under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

The Raiders selected Johnson in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 150th overall.

Johnson played multiple safety roles for Arizona and is certainly unafraid to help out in the running game, racking up 94 and 97 tackles in his last two collegiate campaigns. He added four interceptions and 11 interceptions to his resume' as a senior, but he's a bit undersized for the position at 5-foot-11, 192 pounds and can struggle against bigger wideouts. Still, Johnson has good instincts, is a good tackler and has plenty of special teams experience, making him a good depth option on the back end and a special-teams candidate.

Denver selected Joly in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 152nd overall.

Joly spent the last two years of his four-year college career at NC State, and he was named to the All-ACC First-Team in 2025 after catching 49 passes for 489 yards and seven touchdowns across 12 games. Joly was mostly detached from the offensive line with NC State and lined up primarily in the slot, making him a mismatch when lined up against opposing secondaries. His 6-foot-3 frame and large, strong hands helps him finish catches regardless of coverage, and he could earn himself regular snaps on offense if he can be more consistent as a blocker. Evan Engram leads the Broncos' tight end room, so Joly is set to compete against Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins for snaps as the TE2 and in 12-man personnel.